Salted Caramel Pecan Tartlets

Salted Caramel Pecan Tartlets:

Salt, caramel & pecans fit together like ice cream & jelly! These delicious sweet mouthfuls of dulce de leche in a pastry shell finished with a pecan & flaked sea salt make the perfect mini dessert for your party.

There are always those sweet-toothes that are looking for that after-dinner sweet treat. These may just become your go-to party dessert. So quick & easy to prepare, no cooking skills involved, making them the best dessert canapés.

I’m not a big dessert eater, but I keep getting asked if I make any dessert bites, so thought I would pay more attention to the dessert side of things to balance out the savoury appetisers.

Canape pastry shells are perfect as a vessel, for so many things-dessert or savoury. The fact that you can buy these already made, just made your job a whole lot easier…& certainly mine. I don’t even bother to make my own shells, it means that I have more time to put together more canapés.

The fact that you can buy caramel top ‘n’ fill already pre-made also makes this dish the perfect choice for a bite-size dessert. You just need that sweet mouthful to end your night of catering, to enjoy with a dessert wine or top shelf night cap.

Make these mini dessert bites, your go-to party dessert!

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Salted Caramel Pecan Tartlets

(Serves 12 Prep 15 Mins)

You will need:

Tartlet Shells:

• Quantity: You’ll need a package of pre-made tartlet shells. The number of shells in the package may vary, so ensure you have enough to serve your desired number of guests. I have gone for 12 but there is enough caramel in the tin to make 24 small tartlets
• Type: Choose a high-quality, buttery tartlet shell to enhance the overall flavour of the dessert. You can use mini tartlet shells for bite-sized treats or larger ones if you prefer a more substantial dessert. Alternatively you can make your own- I never do- too much time especially when catering for numbers.

Caramel Top ‘n’ Fill:

• Brand and Quantity: Use a can of Caramel Top ‘n’ Fill, typically available in a 395g (approximately 14oz) can. This ready-made caramel filling is convenient and easy to use. Again, there is enough caramel in the tin to make 24-30 small tartlets, so potentially you could make more and freeze them.
• Alternative: If you prefer, you can make your own caramel sauce from scratch using sugar, butter, and cream.

Pecans:

• Quantity: You will need enough pecan halves to place one on each tartlet. Depending on the number of tartlet shells you have, calculate the required number of pecan halves accordingly.
• Preparation: Ensure the pecans are fresh and free from any shell fragments. You can lightly toast the pecans in a dry pan for a few minutes to enhance their nutty flavour before using them.

Sea Salt Flakes:

• Type: Use high-quality sea salt flakes, such as Maldon sea salt, which have a delicate texture and a clean, briny flavour that complements the sweetness of the caramel.
• Quantity: A small amount of sea salt flakes, about a pinch per tartlet, will be sufficient to sprinkle on top.

Instructions:

Prepare the tartlet shells:

• Open the packet of tartlet shells.
• Gently remove each tartlet shell from the packet, taking care not to crack or break them.
• Arrange the tartlet shells on a clean, flat surface or flat plate or baking tray.

Add the Caramel Filling:

• Take a teaspoon and scoop a generous amount of caramel filling into each tartlet shell. I use 2 teaspoons to scoop and fill the shells.
• If the caramel filling is too thick to spoon easily, you can soften it by placing it in a microwave-safe bowl and heating it in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir the caramel to ensure it is smooth and pourable.
• Pour or spoon the softened caramel filling into each tartlet shell, filling them to just below the rim.

Add the Pecans:

• Take a pecan and place it on top of the caramel filling in each tartlet shell.
• Gently press the pecan down slightly so that it adheres to the caramel but still remains visible on top.

Sprinkle with Sea Salt:

• Lightly sprinkle a pinch of sea salt flakes over each tartlet.
• Ensure that the salt is evenly distributed to enhance the flavour of the caramel and pecans.
• Sea salt flakes are readily available at supermarkets, however they are not true flakes as I found out when I sent my daughter in to buy them. Actual sea salt flakes do look better if you can find them.

Refrigerate the Tartlets:

• Carefully transfer the tray of tartlets to the refrigerator.
• Let the tartlets chill for at least 30 minutes to allow the caramel to set.

Arrange for Serving:

• Once the tartlets have chilled and the caramel has set, remove them from the refrigerator.
• Arrange the tartlets on a serving platter. I added some mint to mine purely for presentation- to add a bit of contrast.

Serve and Enjoy!

Helpful Hints

• Removing the caramel from the tin and gently heating in the microwave (30 secs at a time) will make it suitable for pouring into your shells. DO NOT put the tin in the microwave!

• There are different types of ready-made pastry shells. I have chosen the smallest and thinnest so as it is not too rich a mouthful.

• If you refrigerate your tartlets once they are prepared to keep the centre firm, and bring them out about 10 mins before serving.

• There are many ways you could serve these and another option is to melt dark chocolate and pouring a small amount on the bottom of your shell, top with caramel, then chocolate again. You could also do chocolate and peanut butter cups.

Salted Caramel Pecan Tartlets

Recipe

(Serves 12 Prep 15mins)

Ingredients

• 12 Sweet Pastry Tartlet shells
• 395g Nestle Caramel Top ‘n’ fill
• 12 Pecans
• Pinch of Sea Salt Flakes

Method

1. Remove the tartlet shells from packet
2. Spoon Caramel filling into the tartlet shells
3. (alternatively, soften the caramel in a small bowl in the microwave (30secs) & pour into tartlet shells
4. Place a pecan onto each tartlet
5. Sprinkle tartlets with a pinch of Sea salt flakes
6. Refrigerate tartlets
7. Arrange tartlets on a platter
8. Serve & Enjoy!

Wine pairing suggestions:

• Tawny Port: This fortified wine is a fantastic match for caramel and nutty flavours. Its rich, sweet, and complex profile complements the sweetness of the caramel and the buttery pecans, while the hint of sea salt adds a nice contrast. Tawny Port also has a slightly nutty and dried fruit character that will enhance the flavours of the tartlet.
• Sauternes: This sweet French wine has honeyed and caramel notes, with good acidity to balance the richness of the tartlet.
• Moscato: Moscato is typically a sweet wine, which complements the sweetness of caramel without being excessively sweet. It has pronounced fruity notes, such as peach, apricot, and citrus, which can add a refreshing contrast to the rich, buttery flavour of caramel & the natural acidity in Moscato helps to balance the sweetness of both the wine and the caramel, preventing the pairing from becoming too heavy.